


Carmela

by lrhaboggle



Category: Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)
Genre: Friendship, Largo, Prequel, Repo - Freeform, RepotheGeneticOpera, ambersweet, blindmag, carmelalargo, rotti
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-02
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2019-04-17 07:32:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14184027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lrhaboggle/pseuds/lrhaboggle
Summary: Amber and Mag used to be friends.





	Carmela

The Sanitarium Graveyard was empty all except for one person. Had anybody else been there to see that person, they would have seen that it was a young woman. She stood with a dignified yet weary pose and the grave she stood at belonged to Blind Mag. A red rose was in her hand and a few tears were in her eyes. But since nobody was there, all of these details were lost to the night. The only things around to see this were the maggots that writhed in and out of other corpses but they didn't care. They didn't even notice that this woman just so happened to be the one and only Amber Sweet, new leader of GeneCo.

"Hey Mag," Amber sneered at the tomb before her, doing her best to scowl. Unfortunately, she succeeded only in giving a strange twist of the lips that looked more like a grimace than a real frown. "Were were not good enough for you?" she asked. "Was Daddy not good enough for you? Was GeneCo not good enough for you? Was the fame and fortune and talent and love not good enough for you? Hell, was anything good enough for you?" the heiress was, of course, referring to Mag's suicide and how she chose to slander the company before killing herself. In front of thousands of viewers no less! But then, as Amber continued to rail against Mag's tomb, her voice softened marginally. "Was I not good enough for you?"

Amber gave one last attempt at scowling at Mag's grave but finally, she dropped the act and heaved a sigh. She was carrying the world on her shoulders and it sucked. She was so very tired.

"Why did you do it?" she asked again, but this time, her voice was only full of confusion and sorrow. It was the first time in a long time that Amber didn't lash out in anger when addressing the famous singer. Only betrayal remained in her usually snobby and demanding voice. She continued to stand before the grave, waiting for the reply that she knew would never come. The rose slipped from Amber's grasp and onto the cold, dark earth below. She didn't notice it at all. Instead, she was lost to an entirely different world. It was a world very different from the nightmare she lived in now…

Amber was but a small child when she met Mag for the very first time. Her name had been Carmela Largo back then and the light of life and hope was in her bright brown eyes.

"Are you Blind Mag?" the young Carmela asked, waddling up to a woman about 15 years her senior. The woman in question turned her head in the direction of Carmela's voice.

"Yes, I am," she said. "Who are you?" she waited for a reply but Carmela momentarily lost her voice as she realized that it was true. This lady really did have pure white eyes. She thought Luigi had just been trying to scare her when he said that Mag's eyes were pure white with no irises or pupils anywhere but now Carmela was getting to see firsthand that Luigi, for once, had not lied.

"Hello? Are you still there?" Mag asked after a moment, rousing Carmela.

"Yes, I am!" she promised, voice squeaking slightly. "And my name is Carmela!" she added. "Carmela Largo!"

"Largo!" Mag echoed, perking up. "I'm pleased to meet you. I was actually off to speak with your father right now. I'm getting my surgery today!" Mag sounded excited, Carmela was too.

"Daddy is in his office!" she said. "I can show you!" Carmela took Mag's hand at once and the taller, older girl gasped at the sudden contact but she let the eager child lead her on.

Awhile later, Mag returned to Carmela, thanking her for helping her find Rotti.

"It was nothing!" Carmela chirped. After a moment of hesitation, she asked shyly. "Can I see your eyes?"

"Of course!" Mag cried, eager to show off. Mag grinned and let her eyes flicker to life. What was displayed was a recording of Marni, her best friend, singing.

"Oooh!" Carmela clapped in awe and Mag nodded, the projection bouncing a bit as she did so. Once it came to an end, Mag's eyes flickered off.

"Marni is such a wonderful singer," she said.

"I agree!" Carmela responded. "Do you think you could teach me to sing?" Mag was briefly taken aback by this request, but she agreed wholeheartedly. Carmela was just so sweet and eager and Mag would've loved nothing more than to teach Carmela to sing as payment for her father, Rotti, granting Mag the gift of sight.

For the next year, a powerful bond was formed between the two women. It was just Carmela and Mag against the world. Whenever they were together, they laughed and chatted and sung. Carmela, admittedly, did not have the world's best voice but Mag's constant encouragement and her own natural enthusiasm continued to push her down the path of a singer. She was unbothered by her lack of natural ability, believing that Mag's teachings would pay off someday.

But all good things must come to an end and Carmela was no exception to this rule. Mag's best friend, Marni, ended up dying in childbirth almost a year later. With her and her child gone, Mag fell into a deep depression. She began to neglect Carmela. It wasn't done out of spite, but it may as well have been for all the strain it put on their friendship.

"Mag?" Carmela knocked shyly on Mag's dressing room door. "It's time for my singing lessons."

"Not today, Carmela," Mag sighed through the door.

"But we haven't sung in a week!" Carmela reminded Mag, knocking again.

"Please, Carmela, please," Mag whimpered. She sounded close to tears and Carmela grew scared.

"Well then, if we don't sing, can I at least talk to you?" she asked.

"I want to be left alone," Mag replied.

"But Mag-" Carmela tried.

"I said, NO!" Mag snapped at last. Something hit the door and Carmela jumped back in fright. She stared up at the unyielding piece of wood, tears of fear and hurt in her eyes. Everything went silent again and Carmela couldn't bring herself to knock anymore.

This pattern carried on for a couple months more before Carmela gave up on Mag entirely. She no longer knocked on Mag's door. She no longer reveled in Mag's presence. She no longer looked for Mag in the hallways. She no longer requested to see Mag whenever Mag was free from work. Instead, little Carmela only ever saw her friend here and there, a dead look in her robotic eyes. Carmela never found the strength to go up and talk to the woman. Carmela and Mag were no more.

But just when Carmela thought it couldn't get worse, it did. By this point, Carmela was a teen.

"Daddy, why can't I ever sing at one of your operas?" the young girl asked her father.

"Because," he sighed impatiently. "That's what Mag is for!"

"But surely I could sing at least a little something?" Carmela tried again. "I'm 13. I'm old enough to do this and this is something that I want. Can't you please just allow me this one little favor?"

"One little favor?!" Rotti scoffed. "Need I remind you of everything else you've asked of me? What about that new dress? Or that fancy phone? Or that car you never drive because you have a limo!" the man continued to list off everything Carmela had demanded of him and everything he had finally surrendered to her.

"But this is different!" Carmela pleaded. "It's not like all those other little trinkets. I want to be famous! I want to be a singer!"

"I already told you, that's what Mag is for," Rotti repeated.

"But why?" Carmela asked. "Why Mag? What's so special about her? She's not even your daughter. I am!" Carmela's pleading tone turned into one of anger and demands. She continued to hassle Rotti for several minutes more, unable to understand why Mag should have the luxury of being his songbird when Carmela was more than suitable! Or so she thought.

Admittedly, the real reason Rotti forbade the girl from singing for GeneCo was because he knew her voice was terrible. He only ever told her it was good to keep her quiet. Mag's voice was far superior in every way so there was no way he was going to let Carmela take the stage and humiliate them all.

But Carmela wasn't good at taking no for an answer and she continued to push Rotti. Even after he finally caved and allowed her to do little sideshows, she wanted more. She wanted the center stage. She even got several surgeries in order to look more like the women Daddy liked and she had come up with a witty stage name just like Blind Mag. Her new name was Amber Sweet. So she had the looks and the persona all set but no, Rotti was adamant in his belief that Mag was the only singer GeneCo needed. Such a belief allowed the seeds of envy to rise up in Amber until only wrath for Mag remained.

"I don't know what Daddy sees in you!" Amber snapped at the singer one day. "You're nothing at all!"

"Leave me alone, Amber," Mag replied, but without very much force. She was used to these verbal assaults from her boss' youngest child. Mag felt no love for Amber but she did feel a sense of remorse for what she had become. Sometimes, in the world between waking and sleeping, Mag would see the innocent girl Amber used to be and cry. She bitterly regretted not stepping in and saving Amber when she had the chance. She regretted losing the duo of Carmela and Mag. But what was Mag's life aside from a long list of regrets? Amber was just another tic on that mile-long list.

Day in and day out, these confrontations continued.

"You've caused more deaths than a Repo Man, you monster!" Amber tried. It was a new insult but she could recall Mag admitting that she did not like working for GeneCo anymore. With the reason why in mind, Amber found a new soft spot she could use against the singer. Honestly, she had half a mind to tell Daddy and get Mag fired at once, but by this time, Amber knew that Rotti loved Mag far more than he loved her. She would not give that old geezer the satisfaction of coming to him with the fact that Mag hated GeneCo. Rotti wouldn't believe her anyway. Sometimes, Amber wondered if Rotti even remembered that he had a daughter.

"Enough, Amber," Mag said when Amber continued to taunt Mag.

"Then quit stealing my daddy's attention!" Amber snarled back, slapping Mag. Mag ignored her, but when Amber wound up for another blow, Mag caught her wrist and pushed her away, threatening to tell Rotti of her abusive behavior towards his Voice of GeneCo.

"I am sure your father would not be proud of a daughter who goes around hurting anyone who makes her mad?" Mag suggested, eyes flickering. Amber was pissed. Seething with rage, she tried to formulate a response but the realization that Mag was entirely correct stripped her of that ability.

"Why can't I be the Voice of GeneCo? It's not fair!" Amber finally resulted to simple whining. It was petty and unintelligent but a blind fury had taken all wit from Amber. "I'm better than you anyway! I'm smarter and prettier and more talented!" she railed off but Mag began to walk away from her.

"Goodbye, Amber," she said.

"Oh, no, no, no, no!" Amber snarled, chasing after the singer. "You don't turn your back on ME, the daughter of GeneCo!" but Mag still wouldn't reply.

"DON'T YOU DARE IGNORE ME MAG!" Amber yelled, but she received no reply.

"DON'T YOU DARE IGNORE ME MAG!" Amber yelled, but she received no reply. She never would either, her last chance at having a conversation with Mag having gone down the drain the moment the Genetic Opera began. Amber continued to scream and swear at Mag's tombstone but when nothing changed at all, the woman finally broke down. She fell to her knees and began to sob in anger and anguish. She cursed the world for its cruelty, she cursed it for taking away any shred of confidence or happiness she ever had. She cursed the world for leaving her with a burden far too heavy for her to carry. 17 years of anger and agony came pouring out of Amber that night and all those feelings she kept bottled inside exploded out.

"First myself, then daddy, then my freedom, now you!" Amber hollered at Mag's grave. "Why did you do it? Why did you go? Why couldn't you have stayed by me?" she asked, meaning the words in many ways. For as much as she hated Mag, Amber would've welcomed Mag back with open arms if it meant she didn't have to do this alone. "Is this some sick, sadistic trick of yours?" she snarled. "Do I have to beg? Is that what you want? Fine! Then I beg! I beg you to come back!" she punched the tombstone until knuckles bled.

"Please!" Amber whispered finally, withdrawing her hands. "Please, come back! Just once! I need you here… I'm scared! I can't do this on my own," she was having something similar to a panic attack now, shaking and crying with no way to get herself or her breathing under control. She held onto herself since it was all she had left. She felt so lost. She wanted her Mama back. She wanted Daddy back. She wanted her innocence back. Heck, she even wanted Mag back. That was why she was here, at Mag's tomb, of all places. But for all of Amber's begging, this was the one request that nothing could ever grant her. The bitter irony was that Amber could now, as the new leader of GeneCo, have anything she wanted and yet, the one thing she wanted most was the one thing impossible to obtain.

Amber stayed motionless in a crouched position before Mag's grave. She stayed that way for a good long time too. So maybe Mag was dead, but Amber wasn't here because she needed Mag. She was here because she needed familiarity. This new life had none of that to offer. But when Amber failed to find a sense of peace and familiarity, she finally gave up. She stood quickly, a real scowl settling across her perfect features. She hissed at Mag's tomb, straightening her clothes and brushing the dirt away.

"If you're not going to answer, then I'm going to go. I don't have time to wait around for you," Amber snarled at the tomb. She was still hurt by Mag's silence despite enduring it for 17 years already.

But as with before, Amber would never show it. Instead, she called her guards. She ordered for them to reopen the graveyard and take her home. She didn't look back once as she left. Instead, she only faced the future, already trying to put on the mask to be the queen the world wanted and needed her to be.

**Author's Note:**

> AN: I apologize if this seems rushed or OOC but I've always liked the idea that Mag and Amber used to be friends until time and envy corrupted them both and tore their friendship apart. In this story, I tried to keep ages semi-accurate by using the birth years that appear on Repopedia, but I apologize if they do turn out to be wrong.


End file.
